What Happens When Earth’s Magnetic Poles Flip?

Is it possible that the Earth can flip, with the North Pole becoming the South Pole overnight? Some planets are already keeled way over on their axis, like Uranus (tee hee) and Venus. But those were caused by enormous events (we’re not exactly sure what, in those cases) and it’s extremely unlikely to happen to Earth at this point.

But what about the magnetic poles? Earth’s magnetic poles do reverse on a regular basis. This happens over vast periods of time, on average every 450,000 years and it hasn’t happened for about 780,000 years. So we might be due. Fraser Cain of Universe Today explains what would happen in that event.